Trap-nest.



No. 881,677. PATENTED mm. 10, 1908. 0. E. eoonnuomm.

TRAP NEST.

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H0. 881,677. PATENTS- MAR. 10, 1908.

0. E. GOODBNOUGH.

- TRAP NEST.

APPLIUATIOI TILED AUG. 8, 1907.

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CHARLE S E. GOODENOUGH, OF PIERREPONT MANOR, NEW YORK.

TRAP-NE ST.

Application filed. August 2, 1907. Serial No. 386,778.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, CHARLES E. Goons- NOUGn, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Pierrepont Manor, in the county of Jefferson and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Trap-N sets, of which the following is a spec1- fication.

This invention relates to improvements in poultry trap nests designed for use in trepping' hens within the nests so that a laying record niaylie conveniently kept, theobject of the invention being to provide a sii'nple, inexpensively constructed, reliable and elficicnt nest of this character wherein a novel and easily controlled construction of auto matic means for entrapping the hen is employed, and wherein such means may be rendered inoperative to adapt the nest to be used as an ordinary nest if desired.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accoinpanying drawings, in which 2- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a trap nest constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical vfront to rear section thereof, showing the trap set for use, Fig.3 is a similar view showing the devic'e as it appears when the parts are operated to entrep the hen. Fig. i isa sectional plan view on line 44 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a nest box formed of wood, metal or any other suitable material, or of it composite structure of several materials, as desired, end which is provided in its lower portion with a vertical transverse partition 2 forming compartments 3 and e, the latter constituting the nest chamber of the box. The box is preferably of rectangular form, but may vary in form, size and construe-- tion to'snit different contingencies of service, and, in the embodiment disclosed, is provided in its rear wall with ventilation open ings 5 and at its upper front portion with a doorway 6 for the entrance and exit of the hen. Q A hinged or pivoted swinging door 7 is provided for closing the doorway or entrance 6 and is designedto project horizontally outword in open position to form an entrance platform on which the hen may step/on her 55 passage to and from the nest.

preferably prnvir led with openings 8 to of- Specification of Letters Patent.

Q operstive inthe said slots and This" door is Patented March 10, itwd.

f rd proper ventilation when the box is closed thereby, and is hinged at its lower. edge to the front wall 9 of the box by suitable hinges l0 and v11, one or both or" which may be of the spring type and operate tofau toinetically move the door to closed position. In the present instance, I have shown the hinge 1 1 es one type oi spring hinge for the purpose described which may be used, but, of course, it will he understoor'l that any preferred type of spring means for ciosing the door may be employed.

Carried by the door is an elbow bracket having one of its arms 18 secured to the out side of the door in a vertical position and its other arm i l projecting at righ t angles thereto and formed with a slot in adapting it to serve the function of e hitch hasp. which is adapted to lie against the outer surface of the front wall9 when the door is in open position.

Arranged Within the box above the connpertinent 3 is a tilting platform 165 hi. :i or pivoted at its forward edge e no.

i-h tion oi the wall 9, adapted to be no mally supstontially 'horiz positia dicing spring 18 carried by the 'nwardly ending horizontal arm 0:? an lnraclnrt 153-, whose vertical arm 'iecured in any suitable manner to the inner side of the Walt 5) end formed with a slot 2i) adapted to reg with a soinewnat deeper slot 21 formed in I wall 9 and the slot 15 in the bracket 3.3.3 when the arm 14 thereof is disposed parallel with the wall 9, as shown in i l. i g

The platform is forms an approach leading from the doorway to point above the front portion of the nest chamber 4 and is yieldingly supported by the spring so that it may be depressed by the weight of a hen stepping thereon in entering the nest and passing to the chamber 4, winch depression of theseid platform is designed to eii'ect'the release of locking mechanism by which the door 7 is normally heid ope-n.

The locking mechanism comprises, in eddition to the stepie 1e, s locking lever- 22 arranged ior pivotal e1 tilting motion in the slots 26 and 21, said lever eving its bodyportion arranged in the compartment 3 and I being provided with a reduced locking tongue or extension which proiects through and is is provided with npair oi locking shoulders 23 and .24 to respectively in eriock with 'the staple 1% and the bottom well of the siot 20 in the bracket 19, whereby the lever and thestaple will be simultaneously held in locked position to prevent accidental retraction of the lever itself ,and the casual release of the staple when the door 7 is open. under any possible shocks or jars to which the box maybe subjected. The lever is held from inward movement by the engagement of its shoulder 24 with the bracket 19 and is adapted to tilt in the slots for engagement with and disengagement from the locking member. or staple 14 on the door. A headed pin or stud 25 is provided at the rear end of the body portion of the lever for engagement with the lower slotted end 26 of a curved operating arm .27 fixed to and depending from the rear portion of the platform 16 and movable in the space between the partition 2 and the horizontal arm of the bracket 19. i.

In the operation of setting the device for use as a trap nest, the arm 14 of bracket 12 operates as a lever by which the door may be swung to open position and the said arm moved downward to bring it into locking enement with the shoulder 23 of the latch of foe in lever 22, the outer end of which is shaped to form a curved nose ada ting it to slide freely through the slot 15 an interlock automatically with thesaid arm when the latter is depressed. The door being thus held open, it will be understood that a hen desiring to enter the nest may step thereon and pass through the doorway onto the platform 16, which'will be depressed under the weight of the hen and transfer downward motion through the arm 27, a limited downward motion of which is permitted by the slot 26 to allow the hen to pass to the rear of said platform before the door locking mechanism is released. When the platform is depressed to the maximum extent, the rear end wall of the slot 26 engages'the stud 25 and tiltslthe lever to the position shown in Fig. 3, b i which the shoulder 23 will bethrown out of locking engagement with the staple or locking member 14, whereu on the door 7 will beautomatically closedl )y the action of its closing 5 ring, thus entrapping the hen. As soon as t e hen jumps from the latform 16 into the nest chamber 4, the plat orm will be restored to normal position with the looking mechanism associated therewith by the action of the spring 18, and from the foregoing description the mode of resetting the trap for further use will be understood.

A pivoted turn button or latch 28 ,is pro vided upon the front wall 9 for engagement with the staple or latch member 14 to hold the door from closing against the action of its closing spring when it is desired to maintain the parts in position shown in Fig. 2 to adapt the box for use as an ordinary nest.

From the foregoing description, taken in -connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and mod e of operation of the improved trap nest will be readily understood, and it will be seen that the invention provides a device of this nature which may be lminufactured at a compara tivclylow cost, which comprises comparatively few parts and hence is not liable to get out of order, and which is effective for its intended purpose.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new 1. A trap nest comprising a casing having a doorway, a pivoted autoniatically closing door adapted to close the doorway and to swing outwar'dly to a horizontal position to form a platform, a yieldingly sup ported platform extending inwardly from the doorway, a locking member on the door projecting downwardly when the door is in open position, a coacting catch upon the box projecting through the front thereof to engage said locking member, and a connection between the platform and catch for retracting the latter when the platform is depressed.

2. A trap nest comprising a casing having a doorway, a spring closed door for closing said doorway, said door being adapted to swing outward to a horizontal position to form a platform and having a locking member thereon adapted when the door is open to extend downwardly, a hooked latch pivotally mounted upon the casing and projecting through the front thereof to engage said locking member, a yieldingly supported platform extending inwardly from the doorway, and a connect on between said platform and the latch whereby the latter is adapted to be retracted when said platform is depressed.

3. A trap nest comprising a casing having a doorway in the upper front portion thereof, an automatically closing door adapted to swing outward to a horizontal position, a locking member upon the door, a pivoted latch upon the casing adapted to engage said locking member, a yicldingly supported platform extending inwardly from the doorway, and a connection between said platform and the latch for retracting the latter when said platform is depressed.

4. A trap nest comprising a casing having a doorway, a door for closing the doorway, a movable platform upon the interior of the casing, latch Il'llflllflnlSIll for holding the door open, means operated by the platform for releasing said latch mechanism, and means for rendering the latemechanism inoperative.

5. A trap nest comprising a casing having a doorway, a pivoted door for closing the doorway, a pivoted spring supported platform within the casing, a latch member mounted tiltingly upon the casing, a hasp upon the door adapted to interlock with said latch member, and. means operated. by the platform for tilting said latch member.

6. A trap ncst pomprising acasing having a doorway, a pivoted door for closing the eener"? end a oonneetion between the platform and latch member, said connection having a sliding pivotal engagement with the latch member, stibstantielly as described.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES E. GOODENOUGH.

Witnesses:

ADELAIDE E. GRENELL,

MILA P. BROWN. 

